Maneuvers - No. 93
Let Me
Love You
When something breaks or goes wrong, what’s your first reaction, friend?
For us (Jennifer and Justin), it can feel so natural to immediately try to fix it. But we’ve learned the hard way that trying to fix problems with our own strength and wisdom doesn’t work.
But we’ve also learned that God has a better way for us. A better solution.
The Bible promises us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault” (James 1:5, NIV).
Isn’t that encouraging? Our Creator knows exactly what we need. Especially when it comes to our hearts, our burning questions, our hidden fears and doubts and struggles. He sees them all, and he wants to walk with us through them.
And as we’ll learn in today’s prophetic message, letting him lead us through those problems and hurts starts with one thing: letting him love us.
So why not start there today?
Why not let go of what we think we know and what we think we can do and just let him love us today?
Let’s listen…
01.
The Message
“I am not always quiet. I am not afraid to pursue and hold captive what is evil, unjust, and wrong. I am dauntless in my charge toward your heart, toward bringing peace to you. I want you to hear my voice. I want you to say my name aloud—and in your heart—and know its power. I have made you to be fearless as I am fearless. I have made you to be pure and strong as I am pure and strong.
“In the quiet, as you wrestle with expectations for your circumstances, let me help you shed what expectations are not true. Nothing can be made perfect by the recipe set by this world. And you are ascribing to some of these recipes, which is a behavior that is hurting you. This behavior is wearing you out, breaking you down.
“You cannot fix something broken by doing things with your own strength. And what is worth fixing is not something you can ever repair—in a lasting way—on your own. Rather, look at the broken things in your life and ask me if they are worth fixing. And then, after I tell you my answer (and you can trust that I will speak to you, as I speak to you all the time, and in so many ways) let me guide you toward the repair plan. Here is a hint about what this repair plan always involves: letting me partner with you—give me the load you carry—and trusting that I love you and will never let you go.
“Let me underscore the most challenging thing for you to do—and the most important: let me love you. Let my power be your power. Let go of the attitude of working harder to get meaningless results compared to the lasting goodness I give you. I have the recipe for a life well-lived: (1) let me show you love, (2) let yourself love me back, (3) let us go and love people together. Yes?”
02.
Listen
In a word, what’s your response to today’s message? What do you want to say to God right now?
03.
Think
“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6, NIV).
1. What problems or hurts are you trying to fix in your own strength or with your own wisdom right now? What expectations do you need to surrender?
2. How does God want to show you his love and his power through those situations?
3. What areas in your heart does God want to heal so that you can receive his love in a deeper way—and partner with him in showing it to others?
04.
Trust
Let’s return to this week’s message:
“Here is a hint about what this repair plan always involves: letting me partner with you—give me the load you carry—and trusting that I love you and will never let you go. … Let go of the attitude of working harder to get meaningless results compared to the lasting goodness I give you. I have the recipe for a life well-lived: (1) let me show you love, (2) let yourself love me back, (3) let us go and love people together. Yes?”
Oftentimes, God’s repair plan is so different from our own, isn’t it?
And sometimes, it’s hard to tell which repair plan we’re walking in. So today, let’s set aside some time to be really honest with ourselves—and with God—about where we’re relying on ourselves to get through life.
To start, let’s find a quiet spot and write down in our journals the difficult problems we’re facing. The unmet expectations. The mistakes we’ve made. The ways people have hurt us. The broken relationships and dreams. The pressures we feel. (You may have already written this list down in response to one of our earlier questions.)
Now, look at this list and ask ourselves how we’re responding to those problems or hurts. What actions are we taking? What thoughts do we allow to play over and over in our minds? What expectations are we setting for ourselves and others? What emotions do we feel? Let’s write these down.
As we read through our list of responses, do any stand out as perhaps different from how God might lead us to respond? Do any feel “off” based on what we know of God’s heart for us and his Word?
Now, let’s close our eyes, hold out our list (or open journals) in our hands, and ask Jesus to show us his perspective. Ask him to speak truth to our hearts, to show us how to rely on his strength to get through these things and what wisdom he has to give us today.
Let’s write down whatever we hear from Holy Spirit. And then let’s respond in prayer…
05.
Pray
Jesus, thank you that I’m not alone in these difficult situations—in my disappointments, failures, hurts. You’re with me, and you have exactly what I need. Wisdom. Power. Strength. Love.
I need your love, Jesus. Help me rely on what you have to give me, not my own efforts. Show me how to abide in you so that I bear the fruit you’ve called me to bear—so I can love like you and walk like you and enjoy closeness with you.
I love you. Here I am, all yours. I surrender.
In your name I pray, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
